Although synthetic methods for the preparation of peptides by the coupling of protected and activated aminoacids are well known, they generally fail when applied to the synthesis of taurine-containing peptides. A recent paper reports the preparation of dipeptides containing taurine (J. Agr. Food. Chem., 1984, 32, 992-996): a protected and activated amino-acid compound such as benzoyloxycarbonyl-aminoacid succinimide ester and 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid (taurine) were coupled and deprotected to yield the expected taurine derivative. The procedure has critical disadvantages such as:
1. the high cost of the hydroxysuccinimide used to activate the amino acid;
2. the difficulty of recovering the final compound; and
3. exhaustive extractions with organic solvents required.
and so is not suitable for industrial operation on a large scale.